Johnson warns Macron off settling Ukraine war ‘now’

• Boris Johnson and Emmanuel Macron say there is an “opportunity to turn the tide” in Ukraine’s conflict.
• London warns against attempting to “settle” the conflict now, as G7 leaders meet in Germany.
• British PM has rejected talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him a “dictator”.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron said On Sunday, that they saw an “opportunity to turn the tide” in Ukraine, as London warns against attempting to “settle” the conflict now.

According to a Downing Street spokesman, the leaders “agreed this is a critical moment for the course of the conflict, and there is an opportunity to turn the tide in the war” while meeting at the G7 summit in Germany.

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But Johnson also cautioned Macron that “any attempt to settle the conflict now will only cause enduring instability”.

It also risked giving Russian President Vladimir “Putin license to manipulate both sovereign countries and international markets in perpetuity,” Johnson warned, according to the spokesman.

Unlike Macron, who has continued dialogue with Putin, Johnson has rejected talks with the Kremlin leader, who he has called a “dictator” since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.

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In an interview with the British press, Johnson stated that the West should have “very, very honest” discussions about the war’s consequences, including inflation.

When asked if he was concerned that support for Ukraine was dwindling as a result of the conflict’s fallout, Johnson said, “the pressure is there and the anxiety is there, we’ve got to be honest about that.”